Earth loosening apparatus



April 20, 1954 K. c. KNAPP 2,675,634

EARTH LOOSENING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 10. 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Kenneth 6. Knapp IN VEN TOR.

April 20, 1954 K. c. KNAPP 2,675,634

EARTH LOOSENING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 10, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Kenneth G. Knapp INVENTOR. I BY Q 4013.

April 20, 1954 K. c. KNAPP 2,675,634

EARTH LOOSENING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 10; 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 3

Kenneth G. Knapp INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 20, 1 954 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE 10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a pipe line reclaiming apparatus and particularly for a tool to be mounted on a vehicle for loosening the earth above pipe lines.

It frequently happens that pipe lines become comparatively useless because of the depletion of the supply of material to be pumped therethrough or because of the movement of the consumer at the other end of the pipe line. These pipe lines represent an efiective and substantial capital investment and represent material that is badly needed elsewhere. Heretofore the cost of reclaiming such pipe lines has been substantially sufiicient to inhibit any reclaiming operation.

The present invention provides an operative for expeditiously and. economically reclaiming such pipe lines for use elsewhere.

The apparatus according to this invention includes a plow-like member which can be pivotally connected on the push bar of a vehicle such as a tractor. The front end of the tool has a nose connected thereon which is bifurcated so that it loosens the earth along the sides of a pipe line and because of the body of the blade the dirt is momentarily removed from over the pipe line and returned in loosened condition. The tool is maintained in operative position on a pipe line by means of a cylindrical guide which engages the top of a pipe line and is pivotally connected to the plow member adjacent the front end thereof.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an improved tool for loosening the cover of a pipe line preparatory to reclaiming the pipe.

It is a further object of this invention to provide earth loosening apparatus for mounting on a vehicle.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a pipe reclaiming tool for momentarily removing the dirt from over an old pipe line and returning it in loosened condition.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a mounting on the front end of a vehicle for properly maintaining the tool in operating position.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a suitable guide for maintaining the pipe reclaiming tool in proper position relative to the pipe line.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following details and description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an earth loosening apparatus in working position;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the tool and its mounting on the pushing tractor;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the earth loosening apparatus in use;

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the apparatus in inactive or carrying position with two extreme positions being shown;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the tool;

Figure 6 is a cross section through the tool taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 6-4: of Figure 1; and

Figure '7 is a fragmentary cross section through the mounting of the guide shoes taken substantially on a plane indicated by the line 1-1 of Figure 1.

The earth loosening tool indicated generally at M has a bottom member l6 which consists substantially of a channel member having depending flanges I8 and 20 and a web member 22. The top 24 of the tool comprises a pair of angulated members having depending flanges 2E and 28. carrying angulated members 353 and 32. The angulated members 3!] and 32 extend in an upwardly converging direction and have mounted between them a blade 34. The top members 3|] and 32 are rigidly secured to the blade by any suitable means such as welding. The top and bottom members It and 2 4 are arranged in a diverging position so that the top and bottom members make contact at one end and are separated at the other end so that they are arranged in a narrow V-formation. Top and bottom members are rigidly secured together at their points of contact by any suitable means herein shown as welding. Substantially triangular side or spacer members 38 and id respectively are connected between the bottom 56 and the top 24 to make a substantially closed body of rigid construction. These spaced apart ends of the top and bottom members are connected together by means of a base member M which is also preferably of channel formation with the v and 54 which are adapted to straddle a pipe line and loosen the earth in which it is buried. Mounted between the flanges I8 and 20 adjacent the forward ends and also adjacent the nose 50 is a guide member 56 herein shown as a fragment of a cylinder having its axis substantially parallel to the axes of the recovering tool.

The guide shell 56 is provided with a pair of upstanding ears or bearing members 58 and 60 which are journalled on a bearing rod 62 the ends of which are journalled in the depending flanges I8 and 20 and preferably are provided with suitable bearing blocks 64 and 66 for supporting the bearing rod adjacent the lower edge of the flanges I8 and 20.

A suitable vehicle such as tractor I is provided for propelling the tool through the earth and preferably as provided with a push bar I2 on which the tool can be mounted.

The mounting preferably combines a pair of upstanding vertically positioned parallel standards I4 and I6 which are rigidly connected to the push bar by means of suitable clamps 78. Journal rod 80 extends across the lower portions of the standards Iii and I6 and the base 4G is provided with openings 82 through which the rod 86 extends so that, the tool is substantially pivotally connected to the pushing vehicle on the horizontal axis indicated by the rod 80.

Standards I4 and I6 are provided with a top journal bar 84 adjacent the top thereof and the l journal rod 84 extends laterally from the standards W and I6 for connection with rigidifying braces 86 and 88 which extend between the end of the bar 84 and the push rod 72 of the vehicle. A latch mechanism is provided for maintaining the tool in desired relation to the mounting. Preferably this latching mechanism provides a keeper having two keeper parts 98 and 22 mounted on the base 44 and extending rearwardly therefrom so that when the tool is pivotally mounted on the axis 66 the keeper extends between the standards '34 and 76. The keeper members 96 and 92 are preferably substantially rectangular frames having upstanding detent 94 for cooperation with a latch bar 96 extending through the space 93 of the frames 92 and 90 and also extending through aligned openings or slots I60 in the standards I4 and "I6.

The actuating member for the latch comprises a latch operating lever I62 which is journaled at one end thereof on the upper journal rod 84, has bridle members I04 and I06 rigidly attached thereto intermediate the ends thereof, the bridle members 16 3 and I66 diverge and support at the outer end thereof an actuating bar I08. The ends of the bar I08 are connected to the ends of the latch bar 86 by means of suitable flexible members or links herein shown as chains I I6 and I I2. Suitable control means such as the rope I 14 extend back to the operator of the vehicle.

Blade 32 is preferably provided adjacent the front upper corner thereof with a suitable opening I26 for the attachment of the crank hook, a towing cable or for any other desired purpose.

To operate the device for uncovering a pipe the latch bar 96 is raised out of contact with the detent 94 so that the tool may pivot forwardly on the axis of the journal rod 80. The bifurcated nose will then be placed astride the pipe line with the guide member 56 in contact with the upper surface of the pipe. The vehicle will then push the tool along the pipe and the nose 56 will loosen rubbish, rubble, dirt or any other equipment that has fallen into the ditch or trench in which the pipe is laid and the body part following thereafter will because of its upwardly converging construction push the dirt upwardly and outwardly and deposit part of it alongside of the trench so that the pipe may be easily removed. When it is desired to move the tool in an inoperative position it is raised up and the latch bar 96 engages the detent 94 of the keeper so that the tool extends in substantial parallelism with the surface of the ground as shown in solid lines in Figure 4. To raise the tool so that it may clear obstruction the entire push bar I2 may be pivoted about its rear end in the usual manner by means of pressure cylinders I24 and I26 connected between the body of the tractor I6 and the push bar 12.

While for purposes of illustration a specific embodiment has been shown and described according to the best present understanding thereof it will be apparent that changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the true spirit of the, invention.

Having described, the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An earth loosening apparatus for mounting on a vehicle having a push bar comprising: a pair of spaced apart vertically extending standards rigidly mounted on said push bar, a journal rod mounted in said standards adjacent the lower ends thereof; an upper journal rod mounted in said standards adjacent the top ends thereof, said upper journal rod extending laterally of said standards, brace members extending between said push bar and said upper journal rod, an earth loosening tool pivotally mounted on said lower journal rod, an upstanding base on said tool; a

, rat-ch keeper on said base, said keeper extending between said standards, slots in said standards aligned with said keeper, a latch bar vertically slidable in said slots and in said keeper, a latch actuator journaled on said upper journal rod, link means connecting said actuator to said iatch bar, means in said keeper engaging said latch bar for determining the operative position of said tool.

2. An earth loosening tool comprising, a bottom channel member, a pair of angulated top members, a blade mounted on said top members, said top and bottom members secured in diverging relation, triangular side members secured between said top and bottom members, a nose mounted at the junction of said top and bottom members, a journal rod extending transversely of said channel adjacent said nose, a guide journaled on said rod, said guide constituting a sector of a cylinder having an axis transverse to said rod, and a base secured across the spaced ends of said bottom and top members.

3. Earth loosening apparatus for mounting on a vehicle having a push bar comprising: a pair of upstanding spaced apart tandards attached to said bar, a pivot bar adjacent the lower ends of said standards, a tool pivotally mounted on said bar, said tool including, a bottom channel member, a pair of angulated top members, a blade mounted on said top members, said top and bottom members secured in diverging rela tion, triangular side member secured between said top and bottom members, a nose mounted at the junction of said top and bottom members. a journal rod extending transversely of said channel adjacent said nose, 9. guide journaled on said rod, said guide constituting a sector of a cy'- inder having an axis transverse to said rod, a base secured across the spaced ends of bottom and top members.

4. Earth loosening apparatus for mounting on a self propelled vehicle having a push bar comprising: a pair of standards mounted on said bar, a tool including parallel triangular sides, upwardly converging top members, a blade secured at the apex of said top members, a bifurcated nose on said tool, a guide shoe journaled on said tool adjacent said nose, said tool being pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis between said standards.

5. Earth loosening apparatus for mounting on a self propelled vehicle having a push bar comprising: a pair of standards mounted on said bar, a tool including parallel triangular sides, upwardly converging top members, a blade secured at the apex of said top members, a bifurcated nose on said tool, a guide shoe journaled on said tool adjacent said nose, said tool being pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis between said standards, aligned slots in said standards, a latch bar vertically slidable in said slots, a keeper mounted on said tool and engaging said latch bar to position said tool on said standards.

6. Earth loosening apparatus for mounting on a vehicle having a push bar comprising: a pair of spaced apart vertically extending standards rigidly mounted on said push bar, a journal rod mounted in said standards adjacent the lower ends thereof, an upper journal rod mounted in said standards adjacent the top ends thereof,

said upper journal rod extending laterally of said standards, brace members extending between said push bar and said upper journal rod, a pipe uncovering tool including a base member, a pair of angulated top members, a channel shaped bottom member, said top and bottom members being joined together at one end and spaced apart at the other end, a bifurcated digging nose secured in extended relation at the junction of said top and bottom members, a guide pivotally secured to said bottom member adjacent said nose, a base member secured across the spaced apart ends of said top and bottom members, a latch keeper on said base, said keeper extending between said standards, slots in said standards aligned with said keeper, a latch bar vertically slidable in said slots and in said keeper, a latch actuator journaled on said upper journal rod, link means connecting said actuator to said latch bar, means in said keeper engaging said latch bar for determining the operative position of aid tool.

7. An earth loosening tool including a bottom member, a pair of angulated top members, said top and bottom members being joined together at one end and spaced apart at the other end, a bifurcated digging nose secured in extended relation at the junction of said top and bottom members, a guide pivotally secured to said hottom member adjacent said nose, a base member secured across the spaced apart ends of said top and bottom members.

8. In an earth loosening apparatus for mounting on a vehicle having a push bar, a tool including top and bottom members, a base secured to said top and bottom members, a pair of standards rigidly mounted on said push bar, a journal rod extending transversely of said standards, said base mounted on said journal rod between said standards, a keeper mounted at one end of the base, a latch bar mounted on said standards and extending through said keeper, means in said keeper for engaging said latch bar to determine the position of said tool.

9. An earth loosening tool for mounting on a vehicle comprising: a journal rod secured on the vehicle, a bottom member including depending paced apart; flanges, a pair of upwardly converging to members, a, blade secured between said top members, said top and bottom members joined together at one end and spaced apart at the other end, a base secured across said spaced apart ends, said base being journaled on said journal rod, a bifurcated nose secured at; the joined ends of said top and bottom members.

10. An earth loosening tool for mounting on a vehicle comprising: a journal rod secured on the vehicle, a bottom member including depending spaced apart flanges, a pair of upwardly converging top members, a blade secured between said top members, said top and bottom members joined together at one end and spaced apart at the other end, a bearing rod mounted between said depending flanges adjacent the junction of said top and bottom members, a semicylindrical guide member, bearing members on said guide mounted on said bearing rod, a base secured across said spaced apart ends, said base being journaled on said journal rod, a bifurcated nose secured at the joined ends of said top and bottom members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,910,481 Smith May 23, 1933 1,987,268 Roby 1 Jan. 8, 1935 2,131,872 Galpin Oct. 4, 1938 2,254,151 Klauer Aug. 26, 1941 2,414,994 Wright Jan. 28, 1947 2,528,231 Knapp Oct, 31, 1950 2,559,816 Alexander July 10, 1951 2.589,104 Lindeman Mar. 11, 1952 2,590,352 Sanner et al Mar. 25, 1952 

